600,000‑gallon Port Hueneme tank to be relined; rehab estimated at $200,000–$300,000

Port Hueneme Water Agency board members received a tank inspection report Tuesday recommending an interior and exterior relining and installation of an interior ladder for a 600,000‑gallon drinking‑water storage tank, staff said.

The report, presented by operations staffer Dennis, estimated the tank rehab at roughly $200,000–$300,000 and said work on a tank this size would take about three months, during which the tank would be out of service. Dennis said the agency budgeted design work for the current fiscal year; design is expected to take about six to eight weeks, followed by bidding and construction in the next fiscal year.

Why it matters: the tank stores potable water for the system; taking it offline requires the agency to secure alternate supply and plan operations to maintain pressure and service. Dennis told the board staff recommends shifting supply to United Water Direct during the outage, saying that while the water would be higher in total dissolved solids it is potable and serviceable. He said purchasing water from an alternative source referenced in the discussion (named in the transcript as "Cuyahoga's") would cost about $2,500,000 for a three‑month period.

The inspection found the roof, shell and floor showed blistering and rusted rafters but did not identify immediate major structural repairs. Dennis summarized the contractor's recommended work: sandblast interior and exterior surfaces, install an interior ladder, and apply new coatings to interior and exterior surfaces in accordance with American Waterworks Association standards. He said the inspection itself took about two hours.

Board members asked about service life and the risk of uncovering additional work during rehab. Dennis said regular rehabs are recommended every 10 years and that the last full rehabilitation was in 2013. He said if the agency stays on a preventative schedule it could extend the tank’s useful life and estimated informally that the tank could last at least another 30 years if addressed now. He cautioned minor additional repairs, such as rafter‑tail work, could be discovered once sandblasting begins.

Board members unanimously moved to receive the inspection report. The board also viewed a roughly five‑minute inspection video during the meeting.

Details from the presentation

- Tank capacity: 600,000 gallons. - Last full rehab: 2013. - Recommended rehab interval: about every 10 years. - Estimated construction outage: about three months. - Design timeline: 6–8 weeks; construction next fiscal year. - Estimated rehab cost: $200,000–$300,000. - Alternate supply during outage: staff recommends United Water Direct; an alternative source discussed in the meeting was estimated to cost roughly $2.5 million for three months.

The report was presented as an informational "receiving file" and the board voted unanimously to receive it. Staff said they will return with design documents and a bid schedule before proceeding to construction.